Peter Schiff, one of Bitcoin’s most persistent critics, has called for a Bitcoin sell-off near the $65,000 level, linking his warning to shifting expectations around Federal Reserve policy as the odds of another rate hike decline.

Why Peter Schiff Is Targeting a Bitcoin Sell-Off at $65K

Schiff, a longtime gold advocate and vocal Bitcoin skeptic, said the roughly $65,000 area is a level where he expects selling pressure to build. The view is consistent with his broader bearish stance on the asset. For related coverage, see Tether Launches tether.wallet for USDT, Gold, and Bitcoin.

That stance is anchored in Schiff’s day job as much as his market commentary. He built his career in precious metals and brokerage — founding Euro Pacific Capital and chairing SchiffGold, a bullion dealer — and his argument has long rested on gold’s thousands of years of monetary history as a store of value, set against Bitcoin’s much shorter track record. His Bitcoin warnings have typically arrived paired with advocacy for gold, which is why a specific price call from him reads less like a technical read and more like an extension of a thesis he has held for more than a decade.

His contrarian position is not new. Schiff has repeatedly clashed with both crypto advocates and institutional figures over how Bitcoin should be viewed, which is part of why a specific price warning from him tends to draw trader attention. For related coverage, see Judge Stays Lawsuit Over Ownership of Nearly 40,000 Dormant Bitcoin.

Schiff shared the view directly on his X account, where he regularly posts market commentary. Readers can review the original statement on Schiff’s X post. For related coverage, see Peter Thiel-Backed Augustus Wins Conditional OCC Approval for US Bank Charter.

How Falling Fed Rate Hike Odds Are Affecting Bitcoin Sentiment

The backdrop to Schiff’s warning is a repricing of Federal Reserve expectations. Cooling U.S. inflation data has weakened the case for further rate hikes, a shift that reporting linked directly to Bitcoin’s move above $64,000, according to CoinDesk.

Falling rate hike odds mean markets are increasingly doubting that the Fed will tighten policy further. That expectation typically eases assumptions about liquidity and can support risk assets, including Bitcoin. Traders gauge those probabilities in real time through interest-rate futures, with CME Group’s FedWatch tool among the most widely followed references for pricing the Fed’s next move.

That sensitivity has history behind it. The Fed’s 2022–2023 tightening cycle lifted the federal funds rate from near zero to a 5.25–5.50 percent range and coincided with a broad drawdown in risk assets, crypto included, and shifts in rate expectations have repeatedly moved in tandem with Bitcoin in the periods since.

The Fed’s own monetary policy communications remain the primary reference point for those expectations, published through its official policy statement. The tension is straightforward: a softer-rate narrative is generally read as bullish for Bitcoin, while Schiff argues the area near $65,000 is where the rally may stall.

That macro-versus-skeptic framing has surfaced elsewhere as well, including debate over whether the Fed should wait before cutting rates amid inflation crosscurrents that also affect Bitcoin. For related coverage, see Bessent: Fed Should Wait-and-See on Cuts Amid War-Driven Inflation, Bitcoin.

What Bitcoin Traders Are Watching After Schiff’s Warning

The immediate question is whether Bitcoin will approach the $65,000 zone and reject it, as Schiff expects, or continue higher on the softer-rate narrative that helped push it above $64,000. Round-number thresholds such as $65,000 often act as focal points where orders and stop levels cluster, which is part of why a public level call tends to get tested quickly.

A second variable is sentiment around future Federal Reserve policy. If markets become more convinced that rate hikes are off the table, the liquidity argument that has supported Bitcoin could strengthen against Schiff’s bearish view.

This remains a commentary-driven setup rather than a confirmed market event. Schiff’s call is one skeptic’s thesis, not an established outcome, and it should be weighed against the macro data that has been influencing price. His track record is itself part of that weighing: Schiff drew wide attention for warning about the U.S. housing bubble ahead of the 2008 financial crisis, while Bitcoin has gone on to set successive record highs during the years he has been calling it overvalued — a contrast that both his critics and his supporters cite.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency and digital asset markets carry significant risk. Always do your own research before making decisions.